Trees, (sub)shrubs, lianas, or erect or climbing herbs deciduous or not; armed with spines or thorns or not. Leaves alternate, spirally arranged, rarely opposite; simple or compound (unifoliolate, pinnate or bipinnate), sometimes transformed into phyllodes (leaflets absent or reduced, petiole and rachis leaf-like). Stipules usually present; stipellae (within compound leave) present or absent. Leaflets opposite or alternate, sometimes reduced or absent. Inflorescences axillary and/or terminal, sometimes on the naked branches, racemes, panicles, pseudoracemes, or pseudopanicles. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, regular to bilateral symmetric. Calyx usually 5-merous, sometimes 3--6-merous; sepals free or united. Corolla usually 5-merous, sometimes reduced or absent; petals often unequal. Stamens usually 10, sometimes more (up to 80) or less, rarely absent in female flowers; free or united, either all in a tube (monodelphous) or 9 united and 10th free (diadelphous), rarely in 2 bundles of 5; anthers equal or unequal, all fertile or partly (alternately) fertile and sterile. Disc absent or present, intrastaminal. Ovary superior, 1-celled, usually 1, sometimes several, free; style short to long, often curved inwards; stigma usually terminal. Fruit a pod (legume), indehiscent or dehiscent along both or only 1 suture, or breaking into 1-seeded segments (loments), usually dry, rarely berry- or drupe-like. Seeds 1 to many, sometimes arillate; endosperm present or absent; cotyledons fleshy or foliaceous, straight or curved.
General info
Distribution About 750 genera with 20.000 species, all over the world with a high representation in the tropics. In Malesia about 160 genera and about 950 species. Ecology All habitats, with some very large forest trees. In general the family is rather rare in the Asian everwet forests, but more common in the seasonal forests. Uses Timber, food, medicine, ornamentals. Similar to Connaraceae, but these never have stipules, and always have free sepals.
Saraca sp. Trees, (sub)shrubs, lianas, or erect or climbing herbs; monoecious, rarely dioecious; deciduous or not; armed with spines or thorns or not. Leaves spirally arranged, rarely opposite or verticillate; simple or unifoliolate, pinnate or bipinnate, sometimes transformed into phyllodes (leaflets absent or reduced, petiole and rachis leaf-like). Stipules usually present; stipellae present or absent. Leaflets opposite or alternate, sometimes reduced or absent. Inflorescences axillary and/or terminal, sometimes ramiflorous, racemes, panicles, pseudoracemes, or pseudopanicles. Bracts present; bracteoles usually present. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, rarely neuter; ± actinomorphic or zygomorphic. Hypanthium present or absent. Calyx usually 5-merous, sometimes 3--6-merous; sepals free or united. Corolla usually 5-merous, sometimes reduced or absent; petals often unequal. Stamens usually 10, sometimes more (upto 80) or less, rarely absent in female flowers; free or united, either all in a tube (monodelphous) or 9 united and 10th free (diadelphous), rarely in 2 bundles of 5; anthers equal or unequal, all fertile or partly (alternately) fertile and sterile. Disc absent or present, intrastaminal. Ovary superior, sessile or stipitate, 1-celled, usually 1, sometimes several, free; ovules anatropous, 1 to many in 2 alternating rows along the upper suture (parietal); style short to long, often curved inwards; stigma usually terminal. Fruit a pod (legume), indehiscent or dehiscent along both or only 1 suture, or breaking into 1-seeded segments (loments), usually dry, rarely berry- or drupe-like. Seeds 1 to many, sometimes arillate; endosperm present or absent; cotyledons fleshy or foliaceous, straight or curved.
Family description
Trees, (sub)shrubs, lianas, or erect or climbing herbs deciduous or not; armed with spines or thorns or not.Leaves alternate, spirally arranged, rarely opposite; simple or compound (unifoliolate, pinnate or bipinnate), sometimes transformed into phyllodes (leaflets absent or reduced, petiole and rachis leaf-like). Stipules usually present; stipellae (within compound leave) present or absent. Leaflets opposite or alternate, sometimes reduced or absent.
Inflorescences axillary and/or terminal, sometimes on the naked branches, racemes, panicles, pseudoracemes, or pseudopanicles.
Flowers bisexual or unisexual, regular to bilateral symmetric. Calyx usually 5-merous, sometimes 3--6-merous; sepals free or united. Corolla usually 5-merous, sometimes reduced or absent; petals often unequal. Stamens usually 10, sometimes more (up to 80) or less, rarely absent in female flowers; free or united, either all in a tube (monodelphous) or 9 united and 10th free (diadelphous), rarely in 2 bundles of 5; anthers equal or unequal, all fertile or partly (alternately) fertile and sterile. Disc absent or present, intrastaminal. Ovary superior, 1-celled, usually 1, sometimes several, free; style short to long, often curved inwards; stigma usually terminal.
Fruit a pod (legume), indehiscent or dehiscent along both or only 1 suture, or breaking into 1-seeded segments (loments), usually dry, rarely berry- or drupe-like. Seeds 1 to many, sometimes arillate; endosperm present or absent; cotyledons fleshy or foliaceous, straight or curved.
General info
Distribution About 750 genera with 20.000 species, all over the world with a high representation in the tropics. In Malesia about 160 genera and about 950 species.Ecology All habitats, with some very large forest trees. In general the family is rather rare in the Asian everwet forests, but more common in the seasonal forests.
Uses Timber, food, medicine, ornamentals.
Similar to Connaraceae, but these never have stipules, and always have free sepals.
Treated genera
Leguminosae.pdf
Adenanthera kostermansii
Albizia chinensis
Archidendron havilandii
Bauhinia variegata
Caesalpinia latisiliqua
Cassia/Senna
Cynometra ramiflora
Dialium kunstleri
Erythrina sp
Parkia speciosa
Pterocarpus santalinus
Saraca sp.
Trees, (sub)shrubs, lianas, or erect or climbing herbs; monoecious, rarely dioecious; deciduous or not; armed with spines or thorns or not. Leaves spirally arranged, rarely opposite or verticillate; simple or unifoliolate, pinnate or bipinnate, sometimes transformed into phyllodes (leaflets absent or reduced, petiole and rachis leaf-like). Stipules usually present; stipellae present or absent. Leaflets opposite or alternate, sometimes reduced or absent. Inflorescences axillary and/or terminal, sometimes ramiflorous, racemes, panicles, pseudoracemes, or pseudopanicles. Bracts present; bracteoles usually present. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, rarely neuter; ± actinomorphic or zygomorphic. Hypanthium present or absent. Calyx usually 5-merous, sometimes 3--6-merous; sepals free or united. Corolla usually 5-merous, sometimes reduced or absent; petals often unequal. Stamens usually 10, sometimes more (upto 80) or less, rarely absent in female flowers; free or united, either all in a tube (monodelphous) or 9 united and 10th free (diadelphous), rarely in 2 bundles of 5; anthers equal or unequal, all fertile or partly (alternately) fertile and sterile. Disc absent or present, intrastaminal. Ovary superior, sessile or stipitate, 1-celled, usually 1, sometimes several, free; ovules anatropous, 1 to many in 2 alternating rows along the upper suture (parietal); style short to long, often curved inwards; stigma usually terminal. Fruit a pod (legume), indehiscent or dehiscent along both or only 1 suture, or breaking into 1-seeded segments (loments), usually dry, rarely berry- or drupe-like. Seeds 1 to many, sometimes arillate; endosperm present or absent; cotyledons fleshy or foliaceous, straight or curved.